Small college basketball: Cal’s Strom gets 200th victory
Bianca Jasper led a balanced California attack with 15 points and the Vulcans withstood a second-half rally to beat West Chester 67-60 in a PSAC game Friday evening.
It was the 200th career victory for Cal head coach Jess Strom.
California, ranked No. 9 in Division II, improved to 3-1 in the conference and 9-1 overall. West Chester is 1-3, 3-6.
The Vulcans led 34-24 at halftime, but West Chester closed to within 52-46 after three quarters and tied the score twice in the fourth quarter, the last time at 58-58 with 3:30 remaining. A jump shot by Citana Negatu gave Cal the lead for good.
West Chester was still within two points with 36 seconds remaining, but Cal closed out the game by making five free throws down the stretch.
Negatu and Monica Burns each scored 14 points and Brionna Allen had 12.
Katherine Fisher led West Chester with 16 points.
Men’s results
West Chester 82, California 81: Malik Jackson led four West Chester players in double figures with 24 points and the undefeated Rams withstood a second-half comeback by California to edge the Vulcans 82-81 in a PSAC game.
California (2-2, 6-4) trailed by six points at halftime and by as many as 14 points in the second half before closing two within 80-78 on a three-pointer by Jermaine Hall Jr. with eight seconds left. West Chester (4-0, 10-0) pushed the lead back to four before a three-pointer by Cal’s Zyan Collins ended the scoring.
Luke House led Cal in scoring with 22 points, Collins had 16, Brent Pegram 12 and Hall 10.
West Chester dominated on the glass, outrebounding Cal 56-35. The Rams also made 34 of 49 free throws compared to Cal’s 16-for-27.
Malone 68, Waynesburg 39: Bo Myers scored 20 points and Malone, sparked by a 17-0 run in the first half, defeated Waynesburg 68-39 in a non-conference game in Canton, Ohio.
Malone (8-5) led 8-6 6 1/2 minutes into the game, then embarked on the 17-0 run that lasted more than seven minutes and sparked the Pioneers to a 28-16 halftime lead.
Waynesburg (0-11) shot only 28 percent and had 18 turnovers that Malone converted into 24 points.
Malone’s Shehill Mouliom had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Marcus Ernst scored 11 points.
Ryan Felberg’s 11 points topped Waynesburg’s scoring. Brennan Smith had 10 points.